Team guide: Brawn GP

Team guide: Brawn GP

Friday 20 March 2009 20.01 EDT
First published on Friday 20 March 2009 20.01 EDT

Who are they?

Unknown quantity and saviour of Jenson Button's career, the phoenix-from-the-Honda-ashes team have just the sort of macho onomatopoeic name that would appeal to Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. It won't take long for the Tod-wearing petrol-head japesters to change it to Prawn GP and chortle into their pints of real ale if things don't go well for Ross Brawn's boys. The team has its roots in the British American Racing concern that Honda began by supplying engines to and ended up buying. The newly renamed team have struggled against overwhelming odds to survive after the Japanese manufacturer decided to pull the plug and save more money to pump into incomprehensible adverts that appeal to sensitive art-room types. It is a miracle they have made it to the start of the new season.

Highlight of 2008

Rubens Barrichello charging through the spume to finish third at Silverstone, especially since that day he also surpassed Riccardo Patrese's record for the most grands prix contested (256).

How they see themselves

They've been far too busy trying to save the team to bother with much navel-gazing so far. But there's enough expertise to begin their campaign with more than a wing and a prayer.

Honest assessment

With almost no pre-season testing they must surely struggle near the back of the field. And that will not present any kind of enticement for the potential sponsors they still need to hook. At least by keeping Button and Barrichello on board they have got a good opportunity to hit the ground running. This pair will not lack for motivation after surviving the chop.

Can they survive the recession?

They are not safe by any means. Financially they are hanging by a thread but at least they enjoy the patronage of Bernie Ecclestone. Virgin's Sir Richard Branson may still harbour an interest.

Who's in charge?

Ross Brawn was best-known as the British brains behind Michael Schumacher's phenomenal run of titles with Ferrari. Now he is known as the man who saved his team. Along with Nick Fry he masterminded the deal that meant Honda has invested the money which would have been spent disbanding the team into keeping it going. And he knows how to make a car work, too.

The car

Built to take a Honda engine, it has been hastily re-worked to house a Mercedes V8 instead. We will not know how much it has been compromised until first practice at Melbourne's Albert Park.

Drivers' relationship

Button and Barrichello are experienced enough, and easy-going enough, to work together for the good of the new team. Barrichello has never been known to give his team-mates a hard time on the track, while Button is desperate to prove Britain has more than one star driver.

Worst-case scenario

Already survived the worst fate can throw at them and making the grid in Australia is triumph enough.

Maurice Hamilton's crystal ball

Button 14th, Barrichello 16th.

Constructors' title odds 80-1

If they were in kids' TV ...

Mr Benn

Staid on the surface, an ordinary-looking chap with a dull-looking life who often assumes different garb before embarking on adventures where some hard lessons are learned. At the end he has to don his businessman's suit and it is assumed he returns to normal life. No one is really sure how he can afford to keep it up